Specialty Pharmacy

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — A drug made by Amgen delayed the spread of prostate cancer to the bones in men with the disease and prolonged the survival of men with the condition, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.

FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Drug maker Gilead Sciences will acquire Pharmasset for $11 billion, or $137 per share, Gilead said Monday.

Pharmasset, based in Princeton, N.J., is a drug maker that currently has three treatments for hepatitis C undergoing clinical trials, including PSI-7977, which is in late-stage development.

HAYWARD, Calif. — Drug maker Impax Labs is looking to challenge the patent protection on a drug used to treat pain related to cancer, the company said Monday.

Impax said it had filed a regulatory approval application with the Food and Drug Administration for a generic version of Cephalon's Fentora (fentanyl) buccal tablets in the 100 mcg, 200 mcg, 400 mcg, 600 mcg and 800 mcg strengths. The drug is used to treat breakthrough cancer pain, defined as pain related to cancer that can't be controlled by other drugs.

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Triangle Business Journal has named MedPro Rx to its list of the fastest-growing companies in the North Carolina Research Triangle for the fourth consecutive year, the specialty pharmacy provider said Monday.

MedPro Rx said it had ranked No. 28 on the journal's 2011 Fast 50 Award list, evaluated by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The company ranked No. 1 in 2008, No. 5 in 2009 and No. 16 in 2010.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — A drug widely used to treat breast cancer is not safe or effective, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new chemotherapy drug for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the agency said Friday.

The FDA announced the approval of EUSA Pharma's Erwinaze (asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi) to treat patients with ALL who have developed an allergy to E. coli-derived asparaginase and pegaspargase chemotherapy drugs.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — The increase in the number of people with rheumatoid arthritis, and the challenges posed to drug makers by generics, is encouraging the development of new drugs for the disease, according to a new report by Frost & Sullivan.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has appointed Kevin Murphy president for Accordant Health Services, a CVS Caremark company that provides disease management and case management services for people with rare chronic conditions.

Murphy is in charge of integrating the company's leading rare disease management programs with its specialty pharmacy programs and new focus on medical pharmacy management.